From: Islamic Queries [questions@islamic.org.uk]
Sent: 21 September 2003 10:50
To: '[deleted email address]'
Subject: RE: Jesus is the only way to heaven!!!

Dear Paul,

 

“God’s action towards us is unconditional” you say. I just quoted a clear verse from the bible to show that this is not the case and that DOING God’s will is the criteria by which God judges us and by which we can reach heaven. Do contradictions like this ever cause you problems? What you stated was a lie. There is no other way to describe it. Even you are saying that it is conditional, but that the condition is that someone accepts Christ as being God incarnate! But then I showed you that Christ specifically reprimanded someone for even describing him with a word that should be reserved for God alone. Christ was not god incarnate. He never claimed to be. He even angrily rejected such notions.

 

Why did you not get your reference for the Qur’an saying that Allah hates the sinners? Maybe when you realise your claims are untrue you will begin to question those who tell you such things.

 

“Don't you find it hard to believe that a god such as Allah who is supposed to be all knowing, merciful, etc. would force his will on those who do not worship him?  Jesus wants everyone to come to him but he does not force anyone to do so.  Allah has commanded that you as a Moslem force those who do not believe in Islam to be converted by any means necessary, even by the sword as Muhammad has said he had the sword of Allah in his hand.”

 

Actually, here you raise another old lie. The truth is that for the vast majority Christianity adopted another gift from St Augustine: the doctrine that war was justified explicitly to force a people to convert to Christianity. (Incidentally, this was justified because of the doctrine of original sin http://www.gospeltruth.net/menbornsinners/mbs02.htm  – if people were condemned to hell eternally for not accepting Christianity, then forcing them to accept, even if painful, is better for them). This was practiced in many ways over the centuries. Only in 1960’s was this doctrine of the Catholic Church officially removed. Christians who know their history know this. If you doubt me go and ask the experts. Only in the last few years has the pope apologised for the inquisition where people were tortured if they did not follow official Christian opinions – such torture was by no means restricted to the inquisition. This was the reality of Christianity through most of its history. Modern Christians transfer their own guilt of what was done and claim boldly that Muslims did the same. However, this was never the case in Islam for a simple reason. It was explicitly prohibited in the Qur’an:

Let there be no compulsion in religion: Truth stands out clear from Error: whoever rejects false gods and believes in God hath grasped the most trustworthy hand-hold, that never breaks. And God heareth and knoweth all things.

Say, "The truth is from your Lord": Let him who will believe, and let him who will, reject (it): …
     Surah 18 Verse 29

I am happy to answer questions you have about Islam or refer you to the answers. But please make more efforts to check facts before making such claims about Islam.  You have made numerous false statements. I feel the need to correct them, but please appreciate that we would get a much more productive discussion if you did a bit of reading of the Qur’an and of other accurate material concerning Islam. Your attitude should never be so arrogant as to say “I don’t need to think about my beliefs or search for the truth because I HAVE IT”. You should question your beliefs and be convinced of their truth through self critical thinking.

This discussion is going nowhere if we cannot have the humility to admit our mistakes and our sins.

Regards,

Lamaan

 

-----Original Message-----
From:
[deleted email address] [mailto:[deleted email address]]
Sent:
20 September 2003 23:08
To: Islamic Queries
Subject: Re: Jesus is the only way to heaven!!!

 

As I said again, we are comparing apples to oranges. See below. I find it interesting that you don't or won't quote the other gospels.  Have you even read them ?

 

 

 

 

Sorry but again you are wrong here.  Sin exists, it has existed since Adam and Eve sinned in the garden of Eden. That is like saying the sun does not rise in the morning, it does.

 

Original Sin was an invention of St Augustine. That is what I reject, not the existence of sin per se. Of course people do bad things.

******

Whoever told you that St. Augustine made this up is dearly wrong.  Go back and look up the scriptures I sent earlier dealing with sin.

But, if Jesus is who he says he is(and he is) and all that the Bible says about him is true(and it is), then you Lamaan have lost everything.  Think about it!!!  Are you willing to loose your eternal soul ?  I pray not!

 

Jesus very explicitly reprimanded someone for even calling him good, since only God is “good”. So he definitely never said that he is God incarnate:

Yes , Jesus did say that he and his father in heaven(God) was one in the same.  This was the answer he gave the high priest when they arrested him and put him on trial. They asked if he was the Son of God-the promised messiah and he said that he was. 

Mark 10:17-21

http://www.biblegateway.com/cgi-bin/bible?passage=Mark+10%3A17-21&NIV_version=yes&language=english

 

Jesus is who he said he was, not what you say that he said he was.

******

Correct--Jesus is who he said he was and not what I claim he is.  I say he is God incarnate, I say he is my savior and Lord, I say he is alive and coming again for those who believe in him.  JESUS SAID ALL OF THESE THINGS MY FRIEND.  JUST BELIEVE!

PAUL

 

Lamaan

 

Regards--A friend--Paul

 

Warm regards,

 

Lamaan

 

 

-----Original Message-----
From:
[deleted email address] [mailto:[deleted email address]]
Sent: 15 September 2003 23:23
To: Islamic Queries
Subject: Re: Jesus is the only way to heaven!!!

 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Islamic Queries <questions@islamic.org.uk>
To: [deleted email address] <[deleted email address]>
Date: Friday, September 12, 2003 7:16 PM
Subject: RE: Jesus is the only way to heaven!!!

Dear Paul,

 

The answer to your question 1 is in the quotes in my last email as is the answer to the next 2 parts of question 2. Will you answer the question I posed in my email?

When have you done enough? I think this is answered at  http://islamic.org.uk/pereln.html

 

**Actually, you have not answered the question about what the Koran says about salvation and eternal life, Because the Koran does not address these issues.  The concept that man has a sinful nature is foreign to the Koran. Yes ,there is reference to sinful acts but the Koran does not address the fact that all man is sinful in nature and thus in need of reconcillation with God Jehovah!  Salvation is a free gift by believing in Christ that he died for our sins.  In the Koran one must work for this salvation. Sura13:22-23.  There again, when have you done enough in allah's sight that he will give you salvation and eternal life.  You can't know can you?  Please take this to heart.  You can be sure, by trusting in Jesus.  Jesus said that he came so that we might have life and have it more adundantly.  Back to the sin question.  Doesn't the Koran say many times that allah does not love sinners?  I think at least twenty four times. Sura 2:190ff  or Sura3:76.  Here is a big difference.  The Lord God loves you!!!!  John 3:16  "For God so loved the world that he gave us his only begotten son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life"  Love is the theme of the Holy Bible and Christianity.  The bible also says that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.  You may have had a bad experience knowing a Christian or have been taught a history where "so called Christians" have done evil to other men.  I condemn those acts as they do not reflect the spirit of Christ or his love for all people.  Remember we all are sinners and we do make mistakes.  Christ forgives us and wants us to live according to his word and teachings.

 

I am not sure what you mean by “tough questions”. You have so far not asked me any tough questions.

 

Lazarus died and was brought back to life. And? Jesus’ final great miracle was the sign of Jonah, (Matthew 12:39-40). Jonah, presumed dead but miraculously lives another day. I believe Jesus was a great prophet, a messiah but I do not believe Jesus (peace be upon him) was or is God incarnate.

 

**

Here you are talking about when the Pharisees demanded a sign from Jesus to prove he was the Christ.  This was after the had done many miracles and the Pharisees were seeking to destroy him. Jesus was predicting his death, burial and resurrection.  He said just as Jonah was three days in the belly of the sea monster, so shall the Son of Man be three days in the tomb and he will arise. Luke11; 29-32 also refers to this.  They(the pharisees) like many others and even people 2000 years later could not and do not believe that the messiah would come to the people the way that Jesus did.  The Pharisees were looking for a warrior king/messiah.  They wanted the prophets to be fullfilled in a messiah who would establish his kingdom on earth.  Friend, this was not what God had in his plan.  The messiah--savior for all mankind--came as a lamb.  He is coming again and for those who believe, we will be apart of his kingdom.  Please do not allow a spirit of fear to control your life.  Research what I have said, study, and ask Jesus into your life.  He can give you peace and freedom that will be found in no other.

 

 

 

Does that make me guilty in your eyes?

 

I am not your judge, but the bible says that all men have sinned and come short of the glory of God.  1john1;9 says that if we confess our sins, he(Christ) is faithful and just to forgive us our sin and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

 

The central problem in Christianity is this: If the crucifixion happened with the significance that, by it all our sins are automatically forgiven, then what about those people before the crucifixion? Either “salvation” becomes massively easier for people, which makes God unjust – or the way to “salvation” has not fundamentally changed with the crucifixion.

 

One or the other is true and they cannot both be true. So which is it? God is just. The crucifixion seems to me to be a repeat of the sign of Jonah. However it happened, somehow Jesus amazingly survived. It has the same significance as a proof of his mission as a prophet and it didn’t change the basics of “salvation”.

 

********

The crucifixion and resurrection is not a problem but is the main difference from all other world religions.  God had a plan of salvation from the moment that sin entered the world.  It was not God's plan for this to happen.  When he made Adam in the garden of Eden, he gave Adam a soul and gave him free choice.  Adam chose to disobey God.  Thereby, sin entered the world.  Every person from that time forward was born into a fallen(sin filled) world..  God gave his people the law until his plan of salvation was to be fullfilled.  He sent many prophets to tell of the coming messiah.  These prophets told many ways we would know the messiah.  Jesus fullfilled every single prophecy about him.  Before the time of Jesue, people were made righteous by following God's law.  Those who did not were condemned.  When Jesus died he took the keys to the gates of hell and death and opened them.  All who had gone before were given a chance to accept God's son Jesus . Revelation1:18.  Praise God in heaven that Jesus has done this for us. 

 

On a historical note:  Make no mistake.  Jesus was put to death.  No one took his place, not a look-a-like or Judas as the koran mentions.  It is recorded in Roman writings that Jesus was put to death.  Did you know that crucifixion was so horrible that Roman citizens could not be put to death this way?  It was reserved for the worst criminals, slaves, people who were not Roman.  Jewish writings also recorded the death of Jesus. Josepus and other priest have recorded it.  Make no mistake, the Romans made sure that the condemned man died.  The Bible says that the two thieves who were crucified with Christ had their legs broken.  When the Roman soldier came to do this to Jesus, he saw that he was already dead.  He did not faint, pass out, or somehow was rescued.  He died!!!!!!  His resurrection was no hoax either.  Too many people saw him.  If the apostles had wanted to make this up, the accounts of his appearing to them would have been the same.  They are not!!  Jesus stayed with them for forty days after his resurrection before he ascended back into heaven.  He is there now preparing a place for us.  Jesus promised that one day we would come back and receive us unto himself. Are you ready for his return?

 

 

“Salvation” was, is, and will always be simply this: God guides us human beings to do what is right. We are each responsible to act on the knowledge we have and to sincerely seek to obey God’s will.  That is it - a simple truth.

 

 

I hope I have answered your questions adequately. Will you answer my question?

 

Do you submit yourself to the will of God?

**

Friend, I am a follower and believer in Jesus Christ.  Nothing can change my belief.  I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ because he died for me. He was not ashamed of me when he was on the cross.  Think of this.  If you(Lamaan)were the only person on earth, Jesus would still have come and he would have died for you because he loves you that much. Jesus does not want anyone to perish but wants everyone to know him.  The Holy Bible says this in Philippians2;10-11.  "every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord".. This means that all people will confess this. Every person that has ever lived or will ever be born will confess this.  We have a choice, except Jesus in this life or reject him an be separated from him forever.  The agony of dying and going to hell without Jesus is that you will know that Jesus is Lord and it will be too late for you to come to him.  Today could be our day, Lamaan will you accept him?  I will pray that Jesus will come into your life.  

I Love You in Jesus name.

Paul 

 

Regards

 

Lamaan

 

 

 

 

 

 

-----Original Message-----
From:
[deleted email address] [mailto:[deleted email address]]
Sent: 12 September 2003 14:16
To: Islamic Queries
Subject: Re: Jesus is the only way to heaven!!!

 

Dear Lamaan,

I am sorry for shouting at you, I did not realize that I was. Also, I am a very bad speller at times but I think that this is rather a small point.  I realize that you are well grounded in your faith ,as I am in my belief that Jesus is the only way to heaven.  But, since we have made contact, maybe you can answer a few other questions.

 

1.  What does the Koran say about your salvation and eternal life? 

 

2.  How can you get eternal life from Islam?  Do you have to do good works in this life?  How do you know when you have done enough?  The only positive answer from the koran, is that one must die for allah in order to have the assurance of eternal life!  If this world is all there is to life, then it is not worth the living.  Faith, hope, and love abide in Jesus the Christ.

 

3. Why do muslims say that we christians have insulted them when we present them with tough questions?  I do not think your website or your questions insult me.  If I do not know the answer, I will seek out someone who does and not just say you insulted me. 

 

4.  You ask an age old question that is very worldly.  Where is the proof that Jesus is the only way?  There has been volumes and volumes of testimony that would take a lifetime to read giving proof.  The basics of faith is that we believe!!  The proof is that Jesus is the only one who has conquered death!  His tomb is empty.  Do not many muslisms journey to the tombs of the muslim prophet and clerics to pray?  Where is the tomb of Jesus?  When you find it, it is empty!  Read and study the Gospel of Luke.  Doesn't the koran even deny the death of Jesus?  Make no mistake, the Romans were very good at putting people to death.  Jesus died and as he said he arose from the grave!!!!

 

5.  One final question, Who would you rather serve; a god (allah) that says die for me and you shall enter heaven or a God who came in the flesh and died for our sins so that we might enter heaven? For me the choice is easy.  Brother, God loves you, you can be his child instead of being a slave to a god.  John1;9  says that if we confess our sins that he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness!!

 

Psalm 97;1-7--------"The Lord reigns, let the earth be glad, let all shores rejoice!.....justice and righteousness are the foundations of his throne, fire goes before him consuming his foes. His lighting lights up the world, the whole earth sees and trembles.  Mountains melt like wax before the Lord, the heavens proclaims his RIGHTEOUSNESS, and all people shall see him in his Glory!!!!!  JESUS IS WORTH SHOUTING ABOUT!!!!!  HE LOVES YOU AND WANTS TO KNOW YOU. 

 

I hope you can answer a few of these questions for me if you are truly open minded as your website asks others to be, then maybe you can research this.  Especially the question about salvation and eternal life.

 

Paul

 

 

 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Islamic Queries <questions@islamic.org.uk>
To: [deleted email address] <[deleted email address]>
Date: Friday, September 12, 2003 2:42 AM
Subject: RE: Jesus is the only way to heaven!!!

Dear Paul,

 

Thank you for your concern.

 

However, your email reveals a number of things which I would like to bring to your attention.

 

Simply asserting that a belief is true, does not make it so. To demonstrate such a claim you need reasons and evidence.

 

You imply that I am a bad person for not accepting your assertions. Why? What have I done wrong? Why are you attacking me in this way? If you preach to people in a way that insults them, accusing them of sinning, without giving an explanation of what their sin is (other than disagreeing with you) then, of course, people will stop listening. The louder you speak, the less people will listen. It is not because they are deaf that your message doesn’t get through. SHOUTING is not the way to get through to people.

 

Finally, you should not accuse me of being in error when at the same time you are make glaring errors yourself.

 

What is a “false prohit”? Of course you mean “false prophet”. What is an “Islamic”? You mean a “Muslim”. Now, if you are accusing Muslims of following a false prophet, then we might start to have a reasonable debate on the issue. However, what should I conclude given that you apparently don’t even know how to word the accusation using the right words? I conclude that you know very little about the Prophet Muhammad (May peace and blessings be upon him) and what he taught. As such, your claim that I am in error is weakened to the point where I don’t pay it any credible attention.

 

I do not blame you for not knowing about Islam and Muslims, but I find your unfounded accusations unjust and insulting. That said, I forgive you for it, in the hope that God will forgive me some of my own faults.

 

Let me finish with a couple of quotes from the Qur’an – the holy book of Islam:

 

And they say: "None shall enter Paradise unless he be a Jew - or - be a Christian." Those are their (vain) desires. Say: "Produce your proof if you are truthful."
Nay,-whoever submits His whole self to God and is a doer of good,- He will get his reward with his Lord; on such shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve.

Surah 2 Verses 111 - 112

The Religion before God is Islam (submission to His Will): Nor did the People of the Book (i.e. Christians, Jews and others with scripture from earlier revelations) dissent therefrom except through envy of each other, after knowledge had come to them. But if any deny the Signs of God, God is swift in calling to account.
So if they dispute with you (Muhammad), say: "I have submitted My whole self to God and so have those who follow me." And say to the People of the Book and to those who are unlearned: "Do ye (also) submit yourselves?" If they do, they are in right guidance, but if they turn back, Thy duty is to convey the Message; and in God's sight are (all) His servants.

Surah 3 Verses 19 - 20

Do you submit yourself to the will of God?

 

Warmest Regards,

 

Lamaan

 

 

-----Original Message-----
From:
[deleted email address] [mailto:[deleted email address]]
Sent: 11 September 2003 22:03
To: questions@islamic.org.uk
Subject: Jesus is the only way to heaven!!!

 

Very interesting how you distort the truth!  Many people and false prohits have tried to deny the deity of JESUS but they fail.  You can not compare JESUS to any aspect of Islam because he has no equal, his kingdom is without end, death could not keep him in the grave and his love for you endures forever.    THIS IS THE TRUTH OF CHRISTIANITY ----JESUS IS ALIVE AND HE IS COMING AGAIN FOR HIS CHILDREN.  PRAISE THE ONE TRUE GOD IN HEAVEN THAT THE DAY WILL COME AND ALL THE EARTH WILL SEE HIM IN HIS GLORY!!!!  I BEG YOU OH ISLAMICS, REPENT AND ACCEPT HIM INTO YOUR HEARTS.  HE IS HOLY AND HE IS GOD.  ARE YOU READY FOR HIS RETURN??